Gypsy
by Lady Kathleen
Summary: The Lis have taken over and banned any use of magic. Sakura and Touya, with the crutch of Tomoyo, must overthrow the ruthless monarchy and clear the name of Clow Reed in the process. But will they have some unexpected help in the process? SxS
1. Chapter 1

So, I've already uploaded this story in the past. But I didn't like how lax my writing had gotten as I continued the story. So, I decided to delete it, edit the chapters, and upload it all over again. Also, it's summer time, so I'll probably have lots of time to write! Please read on and remember to review!

* * *

"Well, jump!" Touya Kinomoto gave his younger sister a frustrated whisper as he bent over to snatch the bag she was trying to get to him.

"If you haven't noticed, my dear brother, jumping only gets me to the first branch!" she whispered back, spreading her arms out and demonstrating her short stature. Rolling his eyes, Touya jumped down. He grabbed the bag and thrust it into his sister's hands. Then, bending over to pick her up, Touya set the small teenager on his shoulders and leaned against the tree. With a low growl, the young woman took the bag and began climbing up the tree. Feeling the burden of his sister free from his shoulders, Touya then took the two extra bags on the ground and threw them up to her. With a small squeal, the girl caught the bags and set them securely between the trunk of the tree and a branch. Surveying the area, making sure they left no obvious marks, Touya then swung himself back into the tree, climbing higher than the girl and settling on a branch.

"You know, Sakura, if you hadn't been so keen to protect the palace, we wouldn't even be on the run," Touya stated bluntly, once they had settled in. Sakura shifted slightly, leaning against a bag.

"Well, if there weren't people like you in the world, I would be able to freely use my magic," she snapped at him. Sakura curled up into a ball, expertly balanced on the branch she was occupying. Glaring down at the young girl, Touya bit back the urge to give her a swift kick in the head. Wrapped in what little clothes she was wearing, Sakura closed her eyes and ignored her brother for the rest of the night.

* * *

A young woman with long, black hair walked gracefully through the woods. Two glowing balls, yellow and purple, followed her as she hummed. Dirt streaked her long white dress, but she took no mind to it. The knots in her hair, however, bothered her, something of which you could see in her eyes while she played with the tips of the beautiful tresses.

"Ceroberus," she started with a musical voice. "Is there no water nearby?" she inquired. The yellow ball glowed brighter as it spoke.

"I would not know, Tomoyo-sama. My powers are weakened when the sun sets," it responded.

"Spinnel?" Tomoyo asked with a small frown. The purple ball of light did not bother to answer, as it didn't know either. Stepping over gnarled roots and around tall trees, Tomoyo never slowed. Her steady pace had been kept since dawn that morning, the day of walking showing obviously on her bare feet. Dried blood and mud covered her delicate skin, showing no promise of recovery. The young woman's face held a look of nonchalance, making her seem like a lost spirit. Her deep purple eyes, however, showed every emotion she endured. The pain, loneliness, heartache… even the desperate sense of a damsel in distress. Her own soft voice being the only one of comfort, Tomoyo did not even bother speaking to her guardians, knowing they would not answer unless they thought eminent.

The young woman's eyes wandered up to the moon, full and displaying all its glory. Bright stars accompanied the lone symbol of night. Thoughts of her now lost family and friends made their way into her mind, creating tears in her eyes, completely contrasting with the emotionless look etched on to her face. As the tears of sorrow fell, Tomoyo's porcelain skin glowed where they touched. Her eyes never leaving the moon, the young woman tripped on a bent root, sending her flailing to the ground. A loud rip was heard in the cold night air, but Tomoyo simply stood again and kept going. With tears and snot running down her face, the young woman stumbled into a clearing and froze.

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes, the bright emerald orbs taking in the night. Hearing her brother's steady breathing, she leapt out of the tree. With a bounce in her step, Sakura surveyed the area around her. Her eyes skimmed the sky, trees, and ground, an internal debate battling in her mind. Pushing the pieces of hair that escaped her ponytail out of her eyes, the young woman made a decision and sprinted east.

Her shorts did little to protect her thighs from the twigs and low branches in her wake, but her boots allowed her to step anywhere with ease. As Sakura ran, a smile broke out on her face as she breathed in the crisp night air. Her mind clicked when she ran a mile, earning her feet a faster pace. Trees flew by in a blur, rocks and branches on the ground not even breaking Sakura's pace. At her second mile, Sakura let out her aura. A burst of rosy pink with tints of a darker shade could be seen by the rare trained eye. Sakura could run her fingers through her aura, the magic thick enough in the air to fog anyone's vision.

At mile three, Sakura broke into a clearing in the forest and stopped in a spin, her smile directed at the stars. After a few moments, the dizzying spin sent her to the ground. Laying on her back, Sakura breathed deeply, not at all worn out from her nightly run. In her mind, the young woman recited all the constellations she could spot.

After a few minutes of rest, Sakura let her body go limp and her mind soar. Her pink aura drifted toward the ground, a ghostly fog. In her mind's eye, Sakura saw her sleeping brother, a dagger clutched in his hand. She sensed all the small animals around her and knew there was a distant clutter of a city in her and her brother's path. The weight of the world seemed to have lifted off of Sakura's shoulders, the serene look on her face reflecting the peacefulness of the night.

After a long while, Sakura slowly sat up and took in her surroundings, already aware of where every tree was. Sitting cross legged, Sakura opened the pouch that she wore on her hips at all times. Taking a deep breath, she took out two large cards. Looking them over, she nodded to herself, seeing The Dark and The Light.

Settling herself on her knees, Sakura then laid the two cards out in front of her. Drawing a circle around herself and the cards, she then closed her eyes. Breathing deeply, Sakura channeled all of her power into the small space she gave herself. Drifting off into her own little world, Sakura took no notice to the way the cards in front of her glowed.

"_Clow-sama!" Sakura ran up a set of marble steps, her yellow dress flowing around her. Touya stood in the background next to an older couple, a permanent scowl on his face. The man Sakura addressed as Clow gave a hearty laugh as he bent down to give the young woman a hug._

"_Sakura, my dear, it is always such a pleasure to see you and your radiant smile," he responded. Clow Reed then turned to the rest of the family who were rising up the steps. "Touya, my boy, you are growing so quickly," he commented. Touya grunted and bowed. Shaking his head, Clow continued, "You will make such a fine knight some day, Touya." The man next to Touya chuckled, holding his hand out for Clow._

"_Clow-sama, you know him too well," he greeted. Smiling, Clow clutched his hand and bowed to the woman next to him._

"_Fujitaka, Nadeshiko, I am so pleased to see you two again," he smiled gently as he gestured at a servant to bring the shaking Nadeshiko a wheelchair. Smiling gratefully, Nadeshiko handed Fujitaka the cane she was leaning on and sat gracefully. The servant pushing Nadeshiko, the family followed Clow into the palace he occupied._

"_If you would," Clow began, looking at Sakura's parents. "I would like to have some time with Sakura in the gardens," he requested. Fujitaka nodded and made his way to Clow's private quarters with Nadeshiko and Touya. Curious, Sakura followed Clow to the back of the palace, where the vast gardens were displayed._

"_What is it, Clow-sama?" Sakura asked, taking a seat on a bench under the shade of a cherry blossom tree. Clow, seated next to her, said nothing. As the wind played with Sakura's long auburn hair, she studied the cherry blossoms, watching them cascading to the ground, carried by the breeze. Soon, Sakura found her hand in Clow's. Startled, she looked up at him, her eyes softening upon seeing the look on his face._

"_Clow-sama, you look as if you are mourning a death," Sakura stated. Chuckling sadly, Clow nodded._

"_I am not, my dear, but maybe soon…" Sakura didn't know how to react. Squeezing her hand, Clow looked into the young woman's eyes. "Sakura…"_

"_Clow-sama, please tell me what's going on," Sakura demanded in a worried tone. Clow, taking a moment, lifted a pendant from around his neck. Slipping it over her head, Clow smiled._

"_Sakura, you are the most beautiful woman in my kingdom. You will find a fine husband someday… but never one good enough for you," he started. Sakura nodded slowly, knowing not to interrupt. "And your magic… you are more powerful than even I, my dear girl, but also very young. To have all of that power… and no outlet. I was suffering from such a thing once. But when my mentor taught me how to control it… I felt so sure of myself," Clow looked off into the distance, as if watching his past flash by him. _

"_But you're here to train me, Clow-sama," Sakura reminded him. After a moment, Clow nodded slowly and looked down at her hand in his._

"_My dear, you have always been like a granddaughter to me… and your mother like a daughter. To keep something from you would kill me on the inside, but telling you would do the same," he explained. Concern clouded Sakura's face as she waited for him to continue. "Sakura, my dear, I do not know how much more time I may have. But I know that it is not much," he said. Sakura took a few moments to process this, gripping his hand. _

"_Clow-sama," she whispered. "You're a sorcerer… the most powerful sorcerer of this generation. How could you say such a thing?" she questioned. Sighing, Clow couldn't bring himself to look into her eyes._

"_My dear, every kingdom has its enemies. Including this one. However small this kingdom may be… it is my world. My life. I live to protect it. And if protecting it means leaving it in another's hands…" he trailed off. Sakura stared at him expectantly. "Our treaty with the Li kingdom ends in one month's time," Clow said. Sakura nodded, already knowing this. "You, Sakura, are my heir to the throne," Clow went on. Sakura nodded again, having known this her entire life. Using his other hand to lift Sakura's chin to look him in the eye, Clow regarded her sympathetically._

"_I am old and worn, my dear. The Li's have armies larger than the population of our kingdom," he said. Sakura shook under his gaze, realizing what he was leading to. "You know their teachings and faiths. You also know how ruthless the royal family is," Clow continued. "Which means you know what will happen when, in a month's time, the Li's take over this kingdom," he finished. Sakura's eyes were wet, but no tears fell. They sat still for a few minutes, exchanging no words. _

"_Magic will be banned," Sakura whispered, her voice cracking. _

"_Yes," Clow replied without hesitation. Standing, he pulled Sakura up with him. "Thus, I have something I must show you. You are the most powerful sorceress this world has seen in centuries," he regarded her with pride. "Taking down an army would be no problem for you if you were at your full potential." Sakura nodded as Clow lead her back to the palace._

The Dark and The Light glowed brightly as Sakura's aura swirled around her. A glowing rectangle the size of the two cards occupied the space in front of Sakura's chest. A star pendant around her neck tugged toward the card, eager to see what it was. Sakura herself looked like a ghost, completely still.

As the form of the card started to solidify, Sakura heard a small gasp. Her emerald eyes snapped open and immediately took in the sight of a beautiful young woman, looking as if she had been running for hours. As Sakura's powers realized the girl was no longer with them, they immediately started to disperse. The rectangular shape of the card in the air shot back into the pendant around her neck and all of the energy of Sakura's aura was soaked into her skin. This happened in a matter of seconds, completely shocking Sakura's mind and body. Frozen in place, Sakura stared at the young woman, who had fallen to her knees. She unconsciously noted two glowing orbs behind the girl. Sakura's breath appeared as fog in the air, although the night was moist and warm.

"How…" Sakura didn't get a chance to finish as she passed out. The young woman gasped again, her hands flying to her mouth as she watched Sakura collapse. The yellow orb of light behind the young woman zipped passed her, creating a gust of wind that sent her long dark hair flying around her. Before the girl could even blink, the yellow orb trapped itself inside the pendant around Sakura's neck, its fate unknown.

"Spinnel…" the young woman whispered, scared. Glancing at the purple orb, she slowly and unsurely stumbled to her feet and clumsily made her way to Sakura. Falling to her knees beside the auburn haired sorceress, the dark haired woman lightly touched her forehead, immediately snapping her hand back. "Her skin… it's so cold…" she whispered, her eyes wide.

* * *

Touya's brown eyes opened slowly, taking in the early morning light. Taking a minute for his mind to catch up, Touya swung his leg underneath him, attempting to nudge Sakura awake. When his foot met air, he swung his leg farther and harder, earning him more thin air. Eyes wide, Touya flung himself off of his thick branch. Trying and failing to find something to grab onto, Touya was rewarded with the cold, hard ground. With a grunt, Touya looked up and was met with his makeshift pillow slamming into his face. Grabbing the bag and throwing it to the side, Touya's face was etched with anger. Looking up, he saw the two other bags hidden in the tree, but his sister nowhere in sight.

"What the hell…" Grumbling, Touya dragged himself to his feet and surveyed the area. Seeing nothing, Touya's eyes narrowed as he looked for any traces of magic. Seeing none, he sighed and got the remaining two bags out of the tree. Strapping two to his back and carrying the third, he made a split second decision and headed east, into the forest.

As he walked, Touya looked through the bag he was holding, checking their inventory. Noting what they had enough of and what they needed to get, he closed the bag. As he kept walking for a few minutes, an annoyed look crossed his face as he realized how far he was walking. Narrowing his eyes again, he searched the area for anymore traces of magic. As he took a few more steps, he saw hints of pink in the air… and burst into a run. As he ran, Touya let out a string of colorful curses, promising himself to give the young woman a good smack. Eventually, he broke into a clearing occupied by two young women and overwhelming with magic. One woman was his sister, but in a second he had the other pinned down.

"Who are you? What happened here?" he demanded viciously. If looks could kill, the young woman would be six feet under the ground. Her eyes were wide with terror, not sure how to respond. Touya pressed his dagger to the woman's throat, bright red liquid staining her porcelain skin. "I asked you a question!" he yelled.

As the dark haired woman struggled to find words, an orb of purple light flung itself toward Touya. In a moment Touya found himself several feet away from the possible enemy, on his back. Hearing a faint "Spinnel!" being exclaimed, Touya grunted as he propped himself up on his elbows. Glaring, he resurveyed the situation. Seeing the terrified woman hiding behind a tree and his younger sister laying motionless on the ground, his heart pounded as he decided what to do.

"Ahh!" The dark haired beauty yelped in surprise and pain as a small dagger pierced her hand, embedding it to the tree.

"Sakura!" Touya rushed up to the auburn haired girl, kneeling beside her and checking her pulse.

* * *

Review!


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura sat cross legged in front of Tomoyo, wrapping her now clean wound. Touya sat behind her, deep in thought. Although Sakura still felt ill, she also felt strong and energized. Unsure on how to dwell on this odd feeling, she devoted herself to the mysterious girl who had stumbled upon her ceremony.

Tomoyo couldn't keep her eyes off of the young sorceress. The caring yet guarded aura Sakura set off was intriguing to her, and she had glanced once at Spinnel and accepted the guardian. The young man, however, seemed angry beyond belief.

"We're taking her with us," Sakura stated quietly to no one in particular.

"What? Are you insane?" Touya stood, making his way toward the two girls. "She tried killing you!" he yelled. Tomoyo flinched at the tone of his voice. Taking a moment to finish wrapping the silent girl's hand, Sakura stood.

"No, Touya, she didn't," Sakura sighed. "That was me and my lack of concentration." Glaring, Touya obviously had no idea what she was talking about.

"All you were doing was being your usual idiotic self and playing with magic! For all we know, this girl could be a spy for the Lis!" Touya pointed an accusing finger at Tomoyo, who flinched at the gesture. Sakura stood and whirled to face Touya.

"Take my word for it, _dear_ brother. What happened to me had nothing to do with her. What happened to her hand, however, had everything to do with you!" she threw the first aid kit at him. Then, turning toward Tomoyo, Sakura calmed down.

"You had two guardians when you stumbled into this clearing," it was a statement more than a question. Tomoyo nodded vigorously. Sakura unconsciously held her pendant in her hand, thinking of the events that happened in her mind after she saw the young woman before her. "And who do you bow before?" Sakura asked quietly. Tomoyo, taken aback by this question, took a moment to answer.

"His majesty Clow Reed," Tomoyo had a small voice. Nodding, Sakura spun on her heel to head back to where she and Touya had slept the night before.

"You're coming with my brother and I, no questions asked," she said quietly and started walking. Tomoyo hurried after her, cowering under Touya's gaze. Soon enough, though, he followed them.

* * *

"What are you? Where do you come from?" Tomoyo demanded after they had walked several miles. Sakura lead the way while Touya took up the rear, his gaze never leaving Tomoyo.

"That is none of your concern," Sakura responded, glancing back at her.

"I am traveling with you, am I not?" Tomoyo huffed. "I deserve to know who my companions are!" she complained. With a sigh Sakura stopped and faced Tomoyo.

"My name is Sakura and the grumpy man behind you is my elder brother, Touya," this earned Sakura a glare from the man. "We come from the village of Tomoeda, but we traveled often before the downfall of our kingdom," she finished. Tomoyo nodded slightly and thought a moment.

"And your goals?" she insisted. Rolling her eyes, Sakura started walking again.

"That is for us to know," she complied. Groaning, Tomoyo was nearly jogging to keep up. "Why do you think we found each other, Tomoyo Daidouji?" Tomoyo's breath caught in her mouth.

"How did you…?" Tomoyo started. Sakura smiled wearily.

"You look just like your mother," she replied. Shocked, Tomoyo was silenced. Hearing Touya grunt slightly from behind, she swiveled her head around and looked at him, but he was staring at the ground.

The more they traveled the angrier Touya got and quieter Sakura became. Tomoyo felt as if she could pass out at any moment, and she could no longer feel her feet. From behind she saw that Sakura's long hair was a tangled mess, but the most beautiful shade of auburn she had ever seen. She was slightly shorter than Tomoyo, who had a somewhat stout figure. But Tomoyo noticed that Sakura's figure was that of an athlete's, someone made to move.

As the day dragged on, Tomoyo tiredly started to notice other travelers heading in the same direction they were, carrying large sacks with straw or corn sticking out of them. Touya had only let the girls stop once during the day to eat, which consisted of dry bread and cheese. Sakura had taken notice of the dark haired girl's poor state but said nothing of it.

In what seemed like no time at all compared to the endless traveling Tomoyo had endured, they entered a small village. All around her Tomoyo heard merchants and civilians chatting in a language she couldn't understand. Sakura leaned over to whisper in her ear, having moved closer to her as they neared the village.

"You do not know the language of the Borders?" she whispered. Shocked at how far she had come, Tomoyo reluctantly shook her head. "Then you are a mute, do you understand?" Tomoyo sent Sakura a confused look. Rolling her eyes, Sakura repeated herself.

"You are a mute," she said firmly, a slight glare set in her eyes. "Do you understand?" Slowly, Tomoyo nodded, completely lost. "Whatever Touya and I do, you _will_ play along," Sakura demanded. Tomoyo noticed she hadn't been given a choice, and would probably pay for it if she didn't follow the green eyed girl's orders.

"Hello!" Sakura greeted a merchant they approached in the foreign language. Tomoyo tried her best to keep her mouth shut and look like she knew exactly what they were saying. The dirty merchant looked Sakura and Tomoyo up and down, leering at them.

"What can I do for you young ladies?" he responded. Sakura did well to hide her disgust.

"We're just some travelers looking to have a comfortable night before we continue with our journey," Touya walked up behind Tomoyo and wrapped his arm around her, shocking the young girl. His voice sounded friendly and he had a forced smile on his face. "This is my wife, Naoko," he kissed Tomoyo's cheek, causing her to turn bright red. "Just married," Touya added with a wink. The merchant was obviously becoming uncomfortable. "And this rascal here is my sister," Touya concluded. Sakura slapped him playfully and laughed. The merchant, with his newfound knowledge, moved to stand behind the counter of his stall and stopped looking at the lady's chests.

"We were wondering," Sakura asked in a flirtatious voice, leaning on the counter. "Is there anywhere we could stay the night in this cute little village?" The merchant found it very hard to resist Sakura, eyeing her cleavage. Tomoyo noticed Touya seething, but stayed in character.

"Well, what kind of place you looking for?" the merchant inquired. Sakura tapped her chin while looking upward, pretending to think.

"How about a place out of the way… somewhere nothing… _too bad_ could be noticed," she smiled seductively at the merchant, who really wished at that moment that he washed his beard when he had the chance earlier that evening.

"Well, there's a place right on the other side of town that's real out of the way. Real nice place, too," he answered. Touya glanced at Sakura, who caught his eye and nodded.

"That sounds great," she smiled. The merchant smiled back, showing a set of yellow teeth.

"Need any more help, you know where I am," he said, winking. Sakura simply smiled and turned away. Touya, keeping his arm around Tomoyo, walked away with Sakura.

"Your name is Naoko," Sakura told Tomoyo, switching back to their native language.

"W-what?" Tomoyo stuttered, still blushing. She had never been this close to a man, especially one she barely knew.

"That was a merchant we were talking to. You and Touya are newlyweds and I'm Touya's sister," Sakura continued to fill Tomoyo in. Forgetting her embarrassment for a moment, Tomoyo looked at Sakura confusedly.

"Well, what are your names?" she asked. Sakura smiled.

"Doesn't matter. No one cares if you give them a story on the spot. As long as you're Touya's wife named Naoko, no one really cares what the rest of the story is," she explained. Tomoyo nodded slowly, understanding Touya's act. Soon, they reached the outskirts of the other side of the village, where a large house stood. Walking through the half dead garden that was the front lawn, the small 'family' made their way through the front door of the house and to a counter in the front.

"Hello," Touya greeted with a smile in the strange language. "We were wondering if you had any rooms available." A young woman with straight black hair and glasses smiled at them.

"Well, I would hope that's why you're here. My name is Naoko, I'm the main hostess for this establishment," she introduced. Tomoyo was concentrating hard on the situation, trying to understand. Catching the alarmed look in Sakura's eyes and hearing the name 'Naoko,' Tomoyo assumed this was the girl's name. Touya, however, responded without missing a beat.

"How strange!" he laughed heartily. "Why, that's the name of this beauty right here," he smiled down at Tomoyo, who smiled back, catching on to the charade.

"Oh really?" Naoko asked thoughtfully. "It's such a rare name." Touya laughed again, which seemed like a nervous one according to Tomoyo, and kept going.

"I can agree with that. Luckily, however, we don't stand out too much with my oaf of a sister around to make things a bit plainer," he winked at Sakura, who glared heatedly.

"Oh?" Naoko inquired.

"Yes, her name is Ai," Touya smiled. Content with the popular name, Naoko smiled.

"And what is your name?" This questioned caused Touya to grit his teeth in frustration. What kind of a small inn needed so much information? "I need everyone's names on the papers," she explained. Nodding, Touya glanced helplessly at Sakura.

"Achoo!" Sakura sneezed abruptly, startling both Tomoyo and Naoko. "My goodness," she let out a fake sniffle. "The air in here is quite dusty… are you sure you heard the merchant right, Brother?" Sakura frowned. Naoko looked at the siblings questioningly.

"Yes, Ai, he insisted this was the best in town. Are your allergies acting up again?" Touya looked worried, making Sakura inwardly roll her eyes at his new antic.

"O-Oh really?" Naoko said, blushing slightly. Turning high and mighty, 'Ai' scowled at Naoko.

"Obviously a lie!" she exclaimed. Tomoyo was growing tired of not knowing what was going on, completely thrown off by Sakura's change of mood.

"What?" Naoko asked, hurt. Touya removed his arm from Tomoyo and moved to comfort Sakura.

"Dear, you're overreacting," he tried to sooth her.

"Not even!" Sakura kept up her spoiled attitude. Desperate, Naoko started rambling on, trying not to lose new guests.

"Please, Miss, we just cleaned this morning. I could have your room cleaned before you go up while the inn treats you to a warm meal," Naoko begged. Sakura narrowed her eyes at Naoko.

"And what promise will I have that my sensitive immune system won't suffer overnight?" she insisted. Naoko noticeably shrunk at her tone of voice.

"W-well, miss, you could inspect the room yourself. And… and if you choose to stay and are still not satisfied in the morning, there will be no charge," Naoko stammered. Sakura thought a moment.

"Oh, no, you don't need to do such things for us," Touya complied. Naoko shook her head vigorously.

"No! Sir, we work to keep all of our guests as comfortable as possible," she smiled confidently. Sakura shrugged and turned away, bumping Tomoyo so she would stop staring dumbly at the situation.

"That is so kind," Touya smiled softly at Naoko, causing her to blush.

"Of course, Sir," she said, perhaps too quickly. "Just let me notify the cooks and prepare your room," she scampered off.

"Doesn't even bother to show us the dining room," Touya rolled his eyes once she was out of sight, also switching back to a language Tomoyo could understand. Sakura smacked him upside the head.

"You can see it down the hall, dolt. I seriously wonder why I always play the princess," she grumbled as she walked off.

"Maybe because you are one," Touya snapped as he followed her, shocking Tomoyo. Sakura, in her natural behavior, surely didn't act like a spoiled child in Tomoyo's eyes. Following the siblings, however, Tomoyo found herself seated at a table in the middle of the dining room.

"Um…" Tomoyo tried starting. Sakura looked at her expectantly. "If we're trying to be inconspicuous, why are we sitting where we would be the center of attention?" she asked. Sakura raised her eye brow, as if it were obvious.

"Do you honestly think my character would want to sit in a dark corner?" Tomoyo blushed once again that night and shook her head vigorously.

"Well then, what exactly is going on?" she asked. Sakura didn't answer, and neither did Touya. As Tomoyo opened her mouth to ask again, she caught Touya throwing her a glare.

"We'll have you a meal prepared in a matter of minutes," Naoko appeared behind Tomoyo. Eyes wide, Tomoyo instinctively turned her open mouth into a yawn.

"Thank you so much," Touya smiled. When Naoko left, Sakura sighed.

"She said our meal will be ready soon," Sakura notified Tomoyo.

"Meal?" Tomoyo was confused yet again.

"Yes," Sakura sighed. "She was prying too much. I threw a fit and she offered us a meal while our room is being cleaned." Tomoyo chose not to question further as she absorbed this information, just sitting back. Touya, catching Naoko watching them from the corner of his eye, smiled and took Tomoyo's hand in his.

"You look so tired, sweet," he said in a caring voice. Tomoyo had no idea what he said, but whatever it was he didn't mean it. She could tell just from the look in his eyes and she just nodded.

"Well, if that ugly girl would hurry up, we could sleep sooner," Sakura snapped as their food was brought to them. Tomoyo dug in, hungry and not wanting to draw attention to herself for looking like she didn't know what they were saying, which she didn't. Naoko started walking up to them as they started eating, so Touya glared at Sakura in case Naoko heard her remark.

"Your room is ready," she smiled sweetly. Tomoyo decided to smile in return, feeling that Naoko gave off a very nice vibe. Sakura just rolled her eyes and muttered a 'finally' as she ate a roll.

"Thank you very much. I hope it wasn't too much trouble," Touya smiled.

"Not at all. Have a nice night," Naoko smiled and left.

"I'm tired and sick of putting on a show," Sakura stated as she stood, holding her plate full of food. "You two better stay down here, though. The newlyweds would want some time alone," she smiled sweetly at Touya, who responded with a glare. Tomoyo blushed, stuffing a cooked carrot in her mouth.

"Good night!" Sakura sauntered off, ignoring the chef who was telling her she couldn't take the plate of food to her room. Touya and Tomoyo sat silently, eating. Tomoyo would open her mouth at times to softly ask a question, but she either lost her nerve or caught someone watching them from the corner of her eye.

"How did you get to the Borders?" Touya grumbled. Startled, Tomoyo took a moment to comprehend the question and then another few to remember the answer.

"W-well…" she didn't know how to answer. Touya stared her down, making the poor woman even more nervous. Bothered, she nibbled on another carrot.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Touya growled, not having much patience.

"Why isn't anyone else dining?" Tomoyo spit out. Touya sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"It is well into the night, any other guests would be sleeping," he explained. Tomoyo blushed for not realizing this. As she continued to eat, however, Touya set his fork down and leaned on the table, obviously still expecting an answer for his question. Tomoyo kept her gaze down, eating slowly. Soon, though, Touya caught her hand in his, causing Tomoyo to jump in surprise and send her fork clattering against her plate.

Quickly and cautiously, Touya glanced around them.

"Answer me," he demanded. Biting her lip, Tomoyo started slowly.

"I… I don't exactly remember all of the details," she admitted quietly. Touya said nothing, expecting her to go on. "I come from the small town of Misaki. Not far from Tomoeda, actually. I lived there with my mother," she continued. Touya nodded thoughtfully. "You two knew her, didn't you?" Tomoyo stared at the table as Touya's hand left hers.

"Yes," he said quietly. "She was good friends with our mother. Now go on." Glancing nervously at the young man, Tomoyo obliged.

"If you knew her, you would know we were wealthy. We had a great life. It seemed like we had no problems," she said quietly. "Apparently, the Lis disagreed." Tomoyo looked at Touya, who was staring ahead of him thoughtfully, with a hard look on his face.

"When the Lis came, Mother told me to hide… I was in a cupboard in the kitchen," she continued quietly. "All I could hear was screaming and crying. There were gunshots and sounds even more gruesome than that," tears were starting to form in Tomoyo's eyes. "A maid died right in front of me. I could see her face through the crack of the cupboard door." Touya's face didn't change. "When they thought they found everyone and got rid of them, they set the house on fire. I was frozen though, I couldn't open the door." Tomoyo's hands found their way to their mouth. "I honestly don't know how I… how I survived. The next thing I knew, I was on my front lawn, covered in soot." She kept going. Touya said nothing, but caught Sakura listening from the far corner of the room.

"They were all gone," Tomoyo sobbed. "Everyone… They went around to everyone's homes, looking for me." Tomoyo cradled her tearstained face in her hands. Touya was unsure of what to do and Sakura was looking at her feet in the corner. Still sobbing, however, Tomoyo tried finishing her story.

"The next thing I knew, I was walking. I couldn't stop. Kero and Spinnel were with me, leading me…" Tomoyo couldn't say anymore. Slowly, Touya wrapped his arm around her and helped the crying girl stand. Leading her to their room, they left Sakura behind, who already knew what had happened to the dark haired beauty.

* * *

Just so you all know, I really REALLY like REVIEWS.

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	3. Chapter 3

"They were after Clow's book," Sakura proclaimed. She and Touya were crouched in a corner down the hall from their room. After a bit of snooping, they found that there weren't any guests at all at the inn, other than them. That is, assuming the staff slept on the top floor of the building or in their own homes.

"Clow's book?" Touya was momentarily confused. Sighing Sakura rested her head in her hands.

"The _book_. You know, the one he cherishes more than his own life?" Sakura whined. Touya was usually one to catch on quickly.

"The old man would give up his own life for a hell of a lot, Sakura. You're going to have to be more specific," he demanded, glaring. Groaning, Sakura leaned back against the wall to take a moment to think and put together the thoughts rushing through her head.

It was only a couple of hours until sunrise and they planned to split as soon as they could see the road clearly. Tomoyo wouldn't like it, but she would have to get used to it. Frowning as the thought of Tomoyo came to her mind, Sakura unconsciously fiddled when the pendant that was around her neck at all times.

"He started writing a book when he first became king," she muttered quietly. Touya, however, heard her loud and clear.

"Why?" he wondered.

"Sorcerers make it a habit to keep a log of their progress," Sakura explained. "So they can pass on whatever they learn or accomplish to the next generation." Touya nodded slowly, not completely educated in the ways of magical beings.

"Anyway," she continued. "When he found me, he told me he wasn't going to finish it. Clow somehow knew he wasn't going to be able to." Sakura frowned, deep in concentration. She had only remembered this talk when she was listening to Tomoyo give the beginning of her explanation.

"Is that all he said?" Touya asked, staring at his younger sister. Biting her lip, Sakura decided to redo her ponytail, removing the holder and running her fingers through her long hair.

"Yes," she answered. "He said, _My dear young soul, you are a very powerful and potential being. Someday my life's secrets will be passed on to you, yet it will not be a complete works. In a book I have supplied myself with you will turn to the last page I have written in and start writing yourself. Where to start, you may ask? You will know_," Sakura finished. Touya, rolling his eyes, slouched over.

"The old goon always was a cryptic," he grumbled. Glaring daggers at the older man, Sakura stretched out her leg and kicked him.

"Don't you dare speak ill of him!" she demanded. Rubbing the place where her foot made contact with his skin, Touya muttered an apology. "I also might have an idea as to why Clow knew what was going to happen to him," she announced, which caught Touya's full attention.

"If you say he had a premonition, I'm going back to bed," Touya replied, looking at her skeptically. "I may have zoned out during the magic part of lessons, but even I know nothing can see the future." Sakura nodded, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, I know, but if you _did_ listen during our lessons, you would know that there is only one sorcerer for every bloodline at a time," she explained. Nodding slowly, Touya signaled he was going to need some more information. Sighing, Sakura complied. "Clow had a relationship with a non-magic person. That resulted in dad. Then dad married mom, had you, and then me." Touya had his eyes narrowed, trying to sort out their family tree.

"Why in the world does it matter if he had sex with someone without magic?" he demanded.

"First, sorcerers have a longer lifespan than those without magic. Some religions on the other side of the world consider us immortals," Sakura was starting to sound like a teacher. Touya kept listening though, knowing any serious talk they ever had was important. "Second, that means the offspring have little to no chance of inheriting special abilities. In case you've forgotten, dad didn't have any abilities," she noted. Touya nodded slightly.

"We, however, lucked out. Mom's family bloodline had traces of magic in it. So, when you came along, you were given the ability to sense and see magic and speak with the other side, am I right?" Sakura raised an eyebrow at Touya, who looked as though he was having trouble keeping up. "I know magic was never your thing, but this is more like history than anything else." Touya's deadpan look turned into a glare and Sakura continued.

"Then I came, and by some twist of fate, I became the next sorcerer in the bonded Reed-Amamiya bloodline," she finished. Touya took a moment to soak all of this in.

"So… why do I need to know this?" he asked. Sakura, gritting her teeth, resisted the urge to slap her older brother for not knowing a thing about the stuff she herself knew like the back of her hand.

"Like I stated earlier, there can only be one sorcerer at a time in a bloodline. I shouldn't have come along until Clow was—" Sakura stopped abruptly as she and Touya quickly stood and regarded the squeaking of a door opening.

"Did you hear that?" Touya whispered, pulling a knife out of his belt. Sakura nodded and stealthily crept to their room, listening in to see if Tomoyo was disturbed. Sure that the mysterious brunette was still fast asleep, Sakura motioned for Touya that it was clear as he quietly made his way to the end of the hall. Looking around the corner, he barely noticed Sakura behind him, pulling out her own dagger.

As he turned to mouth to Sakura _clear_, he froze as he saw her eyes widen. Whipping his head around to check the hall once again, Touya caught the slanted shape of a shadow against the wall, made by the hall lights. As the shadow moved, however, a human figure formed.

In a nervous rush, Touya and Sakura pressed themselves against the wall, holding their breath. Sakura was about to release a bit of her aura to use protective magic but Touya gripped her hand tightly, warning her against it. Gritting her teeth, Sakura obliged. Hearing something odd, however, she nudged Touya lightly. Nodding, Touya signaled he heard it too.

As the figure started to come in to sight, Sakura slumped a bit in confusion as she saw straight black hair and a flannel nightgown. Touya did the same as the sound became clear: the young woman humming folklore.

"I know you're there," Naoko giggled. The siblings stayed where they were, just in case. Naoko, however, twirled around to face them, with a smile on her face. "Found you!" she giggled again. Sakura, a little unnerved, eyed her suspiciously. The young innkeeper seemed a bit off.

"Congratulations," she replied. She slipped her own dagger into Touya's other hand so Naoko wouldn't notice, knowing her older brother was extremely skilled with two. Using herself as a sort of decoy, Sakura started talking. "What's going on?" she inquired. Shrugging, Naoko answered casually.

"I need to fetch something… would you like to come along?" she grinned. The glasses that rimmed her face gleamed eerily in the dim light.

"No, thank you. We should probably be getting back to bed," Sakura smiled back. Nodding, Naoko's grin automatically turned into a frown.

"I agree. You've really ruined everything. How can I possibly get my family's fortune back?" Naoko muttered as she walked away, continuing down the hall. The siblings, confused, followed with caution.

"May I ask what you mean?" Sakura asked in the sweetest voice she could muster. They were headed down the stairs to the ground floor, where guests checked in, ate, and lounged. Naoko tapped her chin with her index finger as she answered.

"You know how the Lis are… so mean. When they took down that reckless Clow Reed I was sure they would form a better government, knowing how the Borderlands are against both kingdoms," Naoko went on. Sakura and Touya shot each other confused glances. They knew what the Border, or Borderlands, was. They were a strip of land in between the Li Kingdom and the Reed Kingdom who felt they shouldn't be faithful to either monarchy, disagreeing with both methods of government.

"What happened with your family's fortune that has to do with the Lis?" Sakura pried. Touya stayed silent and stealthy, on edge.

"My family, gone!" Naoko cried out, startling Sakura, as she was walking rather closely to the young innkeeper. "They demanded my brother and father be taken as soldiers. And my mother? They killed her to convince them to do it! But luckily I wasn't home," Naoko giggled.

"So they've been forcing people in the Border to join their military?" Sakura asked, surprised. Naoko nodded thoughtfully and sighed.

"Not only that, but they were taking money! Money, can you believe that? What in the world would they need money for?" Naoko complained. Every time she spoke she seemed as if she was either talking to herself or someone miles away. The trio made it to the kitchen, walking through the back door and headed in the direction of an old, rundown shed.

"But, you know," Naoko continued. "They're offering reward money. What do you think? After that fit you threw earlier, Ai, I'm saying redemption is in order!" Naoko exclaimed excitedly. Sakura took a moment to realize Naoko was talking directly to her. Touya had fallen a few feet behind the two girls.

"What exactly are you talking about, Naoko? Reward money for what?" Sakura tried to act excited, going along with Naoko.

"For fugitives, of course," Naoko full on laughed this time. "Dead or alive! The flyers they gave this morning were lifesaving," Naoko sighed. Sakura was starting to slow down, falling back in stride with Naoko.

"Fugitives?" Sakura muttered.

"Yes!" Naoko answered simply as she opened the shed door. Stepping inside, she kept talking. "I'm so sorry, sir," Naoko said, addressing Touya.

"What?" Touya responded without thinking. Naoko didn't answer right away, however, as she shifted through a pile of junk on the floor of the shed. Sakura tried her best to see what was in there, but it was too dark. Soon, though, Naoko spun around with something gripped tightly in her hand.

"Your wife, of course," Naoko finally answered. The siblings went stiff as Tomoyo was mentioned. "Poor thing, only wanted dead. I didn't see alive on the flyer… At least, I don't think," she muttered. Sakura moved to the side as Naoko left the shed.

As Touya watched her emerge, he immediately went into a defensive stance as Sakura gasped and tried to do the same, only to slam her ankle hard against the wall of the shed.

"Oh, Ai, are you all right? That sounded painful," Naoko turned around, her arms flinging around with her body, nearly hitting Sakura with the rusty old sword that found its way into the innkeeper's hand.

"Y-yes," Sakura smiled shakily to reassure Naoko. The young dark haired woman smiled back brightly.

"That's good. I wouldn't want any other injuries on you, you're so pretty," Naoko clasped her hands together as she admired Sakura, cutting her own cheek with the blade of the sword.

"What?" Sakura asked. She was taking deep breaths, calming down as Touya shifted, waiting to make a move.

"Accomplices have to be killed, too, of course. We can't have you two harboring anymore fugitives," Naoko stated as a matter-of-factly. "I hope you understand." Sakura nodded slowly, standing up straight.

"Completely. This place really is lovely, it just needs some work. And you could do that if you had the money," Sakura reasoned. Naoko nodded excitedly as she advanced on Sakura. Touya advanced on Naoko from behind, gripping the daggers in his hands tightly.

"But I wonder," Sakura continued. Naoko kept going, preparing herself as she moved. "Can you kill?" This made Naoko pause and cock her head to the right.

"Of course," she insisted. Sakura shrugged in return.

"I don't know, you seem so sweet," she complimented the girl. Naoko smiled at this.

"I'm not stupid, either," Naoko stated. And with that she lunged forward, faster than either sibling could have anticipated. Soon, Sakura was pinned to the wall of the shed with a bleeding cut on her neck. Touya was on Naoko quickly, though, grabbing her and pulling her back. Hissing slightly, Naoko swung at Sakura one last time, slitting Sakura's arm open. The wound would have been fatal if Sakura hadn't stepped to the side. But Sakura was in pain, all the same. Touya restrained Naoko, who would not stop struggling.

Naoko swung her sword around, but Touya, the skilled fighter he is, dodged every time. Sakura was slumped against the shed, gripping her arm and biting her lip in pain. In no time at all, though, Touya pinned Naoko on her stomach and twisted her wrist, causing the innkeeper to yelp in pain and lose her grip on the weapon. Sakura watched wearily as Touya grabbed the top of Naoko's head and with a swift movement created a _snap_ that seemed to silence all the commotion instantly. Panting, Touya checked the limp woman's pulse. After a few seconds, he nodded and removed himself from the dead body.

The siblings took a long while to catch their breath and calm down. Soon, though, the siblings caught sight of the sun hitting the horizon. With a sigh, Touya stood and walked over to Sakura. Helping the injured girl up, he sighed and reluctantly picked up Naoko's body, setting it inside the shed and closing the door.

"We have enough time to bandage you up and get something in our stomachs. Let's go to Tomoyo before everyone starts waking up," he instructed. Sakura nodded and followed the man into the inn. On their way through the kitchen, Touya went through a routine the siblings were familiar with and grabbed as much food as he could. Once they were upstairs and in the room Naoko had given them, Sakura immediately started cleaning and bandaging her wounds. Touya set Sakura's dagger down in front of her while she worked and put his own in his belt, kind of sorry for not using either one. He started packing their bags and woke Tomoyo once Sakura was done bandaging her wounds. Unfortunately, they could not be covered because of their lack for clothes and the hot weather they would be enduring throughout the day.

"What in the world happened?" Tomoyo exclaimed the second she saw Sakura. Saying nothing, however, Sakura went immediately to cleaning Tomoyo's feet using water from the basin in the room.

"You know, if you hadn't fallen asleep so fast, we would have been able to do this last night," Sakura stated. Tomoyo flinched and bit her lip in a failed attempt to stop her crying as Sakura scrubbed at the dirt caked on her bare feet.

"If we move quickly enough, we could make it to the capital by nightfall," Touya announced as he ate a slab of bread. He gave Tomoyo some to eat, too, while Sakura was tending to her feet.

"Well, then, I guess we won't make it tonight," Sakura replied. Glaring, Touya shoved the food back inside one of the bags.

"Why the hell not?" Touya nearly yelled. Rolling her eyes, Sakura finished with Tomoyo and dug out her own spare boots and a loose shirt and pants she had as spare clothes. Handing them to Tomoyo, her and Touya turned away from the dark haired woman.

"Because, someone is in a bit of danger right now," Sakura announced.

"Huh? Who?" Tomoyo asked stupidly as she struggled to fit the pants on, which were too small.

"You," the siblings said at the same time. Tomoyo immediately stopped dressing herself, in shock. After a few moments, the siblings heard nothing and turned around. Tomoyo still being topless, however, caused Touya to immediately spin around, nearly knocking over a few things. Sakura stood with her eyes wide.

"What the hell?" she demanded. Tomoyo was bright red, having Sakura not look away and a man see something rather personal about her. "Why did you stop? Get that shirt on!" Sakura yelled. Tomoyo did so, as quickly as she could. "Okay, Touya," Sakura said. Touya slowly turned around, purposefully not looking at Tomoyo.

"Why would the Lis kill your family and burn down your house and just leave you behind?" Sakura continued their previous conversation sternly. Tomoyo bit her lip as she tugged on the boots, which were also a bit too small. Nodding, though, Tomoyo understood.

"What do I have to do?" she asked quietly. Thinking a moment, Sakura sat next to her.

"We cut all this off," Sakura stated, playing with Tomoyo's long hair.

"W-what?" Tomoyo pushed herself away from Sakura, holding her beautiful hair in her hands.

"Come on," Sakura stood, grabbing a bag and throwing another at Tomoyo. "We can't do it here." Winking at Tomoyo, her and Touya left with Tomoyo stumbling behind them.

Once the trio left the small village, they broke off the rode into a field, going a different direction than they were the night before. About an hour passed with Tomoyo grumbling about her hair and the pain of getting used to Sakura's small boots. As they walked, Tomoyo had time to think of the events that happened to her in the past two days. The two siblings walking in front of her intrigued her more than anything and she quietly became determined to learn more about them.

Soon enough, the travelers made their way into a small group of trees and sat. Touya and Sakura gave Tomoyo a few minutes to rest. The dark haired lady looked around her slowly, taking in the environment.

"Wait," she said suddenly. Touya's usual deadpan look didn't change, but Sakura muttered a 'what?' as she pulled out her dagger. "Spinnel?" Tomoyo said loudly, causing the siblings to glare at her.

"Keep it down," Touya growled. "What's a spinnel?" Sakura stared at Tomoyo with the same question.

"Sakura, you saw the two orbs of light when you first saw me, didn't you?" Tomoyo asked, panicked. Sakura nodded slowly.

"Yes, your guardians," she stated. Tomoyo nodded, hoping the auburn haired girl had an answer. "Spinnel, as you seem to call it," Tomoyo nodded confirming, "was with us in the clearing when I was bandaging your hand." Tomoyo looked at the blood soaked cloth wrapped around her hand, something she had tried very hard not to cry over. She was disappointed that they couldn't change the cloth again until absolutely necessary, due to their lack of supplies.

"Regardless of Touya disabling you for life," Sakura glared at her older brother, who knew Tomoyo would never be able to use her hand again unless something drastic was done about it. "Spinnel saw us as more capable guardians and left to find his…" Sakura thought of a way to put it. What was she to the guardian in her pendant? Tomoyo waited patiently for Sakura to finish. "He went to find a power source." Sakura finished.

Taking a moment to let this sink in, Tomoyo didn't even notice Sakura scoot behind her and take the poor girl's hair in her hand. Tomoyo did notice, however, when a weight was lifted from her head with the sound of cut hair. Eyes wide, Tomoyo slowly and shakily ran her fingers through her hair, which was now (mostly) shoulder length.

"Well," Sakura grinned at Tomoyo's horror. "Now that that's over with, you won't have any problem with me making it look presentable." Taking a small chunk of the horrified girl's hair, Sakura continued to expertly cut it. Soon, Tomoyo had hair that was just past her chin and bangs, all the same length.

"It's so… it's so…" Tomoyo stuttered this over and over as she held her head in her hands.

"Not you," Touya eventually finished for her as he stood. "Now we need to get back to the road. I want to be on the outskirts of the capital by sunset." Sakura nodded and stood, helping Tomoyo up and strapped a bag to her back. Calming down a bit, Tomoyo asked a question that had been bugging her.

"If the Lis are after us, why are we going right to them?" Sakura didn't answer for awhile, making Tomoyo antsy.

"_You. _They're after you. We were already headed there when we found you; we're not going to change our plans now. Besides, what better place to hide than right under the enemies' nose?"

* * *

Now, I would like to point out that I know more people are reading this story than are reviewing. I know this because I am the author and I can see all of you add this story to your Alerts and Favorites and it drives me absolutely insane when you do not review. Why is it so important, you may ask? Well, reviews let me know what you actually LIKE about my chapters. So, really, I'm not going to upload another chapter unless I get more reviews from people who haven't already been reviewing this story. Because if you don't review, I don't know that you actually want more. And, believe me, it isn't that hard. Thanks!


	4. Chapter 4

"Do you have any talents?" Sakura stared intently at Tomoyo from the other side of the blazing fire. Touya paid the girls no mind as he sat back against a tree sharpening his dagger. In the dark night sky shining stars could be seen, but were dimmed from their usual glow by the city lights nearby. Other fires could be seen, scattered along the roadside, surrounded by other travelers seeking entrance to the city in the morning. Tomoyo was shocked to see how big the capital, Tsui, was. Named after the late king, the great city reflected his power greatly. Just being camped outside the city Tomoyo knew the streets bustled with life and thriving businesses, and she had never even set foot in the enemy territory.

"Well," Tomoyo thought for a moment. In the time she spent with Sakura, she quickly learned that the brunette hated being kept waiting and unsure answers. Biting her lip, Tomoyo shook her head. "What for?" Sakura sighed.

"We need some way to survive in the city. You were raised very sheltered, thus you don't have any fighting skills. And you're not eighteen yet, are you?" Tomoyo shook her head in answer to the question. "Then you don't have diplomatic skills, either," Sakura continued. After thinking for a moment, she went on again. "You were probably forced to find a talent your parents could brag about when you were young." Tomoyo nodded slowly.

"All of that is correct," she answered. Frowning slightly, a thought came to mind. "If you know all of this, could you and Touya have come from a high class family?" Tomoyo waited silently for an answer, but never got one. Sakura waved the question away and stood.

"Do you know what a gypsy is?" Sakura asked. Confused, Tomoyo offered a small 'no'. Crossing her arms over her chest, Sakura explained. "A gypsy is usually viewed by higher class figures as shady characters that cheat, steal, and sell their bodies," Sakura waited for Tomoyo's shocked expression, which came the moment the words left the green eyed girl's mouth. "By lower class individuals, however, gypsies are viewed entertainers and performers. And from a beggar's eyes, gypsies are just like them- only with talent." Tomoyo sat silently for a minute, processing the new information.

"So, you want us to be beggars," she concluded. Sakura smiled brightly and nodded.

"You could say that. Except with Touya's help we'll have somewhere to sleep," Sakura stated. Tomoyo's head swiveled to face Touya, who looked up upon his name being said.

"Right. At dawn I'm going to go into the city to look for a job as an apprentice blacksmith," Touya said. Interested, Tomoyo fully faced the man.

"Blacksmith?" she inquired.

"Yes. A metal worker," Touya explained simply.

"Yes, I know, but why a blacksmith?" Tomoyo pushed. Touya sighed and rubbed his palm against his forehead.

"Because I already know the work," he said. "If I act the part of a prodigy, we'll get more money." Tomoyo nodded as her attention was drawn back to Sakura, who had begun digging through her pack.

"What are you doing?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura didn't answer, but kept looking through the bag. After several minutes, a satisfied grunt came from the young girl as she straightened up with something in her hand. "What is that?" Sakura grinned at Tomoyo and walked closer to the light of the fire.

"This," she held a piece of fabric loosely in between her fingers, "is a ribbon." Tomoyo stared at the cloth with her mouth hanging open, looking rather stupid. She stood slowly and moved to stand next to Sakura, her good two inches over the traveler doing no good against Sakura's confident stature.

"A ribbon? Whatever for?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura shoved the fabric into the confused girl's hands.

"Feel it," she ordered. Tomoyo obliged. Slowly but surely, her eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"This is Egyptian cotton! How in the world did you get your hands on this? Even a thin strip such as this would cost a fortune," Tomoyo was in awe. Sakura giggled in agreement as she clasped her hands together.

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" she snatched the Egyptian cotton from Tomoyo and put it securely into the pouch she always kept around her hips. "It's going to pay for the beginning of our careers." Tomoyo didn't know what to say.

"Careers?" she sputtered. Sakura nodded with a smile.

"Gypsies," she said bluntly, but with a smile. Tomoyo stood silently for a moment. The secrecy, the acting and cheating, the unexplained knowledge, the outstanding fighting skills Tomoyo assumed they possessed for them to get so far, and the decision to become a beggar. It all made sense to her now.

"You stole this, didn't you?" Tomoyo accused, narrowing her eyes. Sakura and Touya were immediately dead silent, Sakura's beautiful smile wiped off her face. Tomoyo regretted this, only having rarely seen the girl happy, but tried to keep her question firm. Sakura moved in close to Tomoyo, slightly scaring the girl.

"You indict us as thieves?" she growled. Tomoyo gulped, scared, but nodded In agreement. From the corner of her eye Tomoyo caught Touya standing slowly, dagger gripped tightly in his hand. "You may call us a lot of disgusting things, and some can even be viewed as true, but _never _thieves." Tomoyo gave Sakura a questioning gaze at her sudden anger. "_Slavers_ are thieves. _Criminals_ are thieves. The _Lis_ are thieves," Sakura stated the name of the royal family as if she were spitting poison. "But we are not thieves." Sakura looked Tomoyo up and down. "Look at yourself," she ordered and Tomoyo couldn't help but do so. "When we found you, you were wearing a dirty, ragged dress. But regardless of the condition, it could have been sold for ten times the amount the clothes you are wearing cost me. And the bandage that binds your hand is the equivalent to a meal," Sakura explained. Tomoyo waited for her to continue for clarity. "If either of us were thieves, we could have taken your clothes and left you to your injury, which could have been fatal for the blood loss you could have endured." Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hand harshly as she said this, making the young woman flinch at the forced movement of her immobile carpals. Tomoyo didn't mind, though, as she realized her bad judgment. Yes, the siblings did not tell her a lot of things, but her gut told her that she could trust them with her life.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Sakura let go of her hand and turned abruptly.

"Get some sleep," she ordered. "We have a lot to do in the morning." Sakura grabbed her pack and lay down at the edge of the clearing. Using the bag as a pillow, she faced away from the fire and her traveling companions. Tomoyo looked to Touya, who had seemed to relax and was eying her wearily.

"What?" she asked softly. He simply shrugged and sat back down against the tree. Tomoyo set herself next to the fire and stared at the leaping flames until she fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Touya stood slowly and silently. Tiredly looking around the campfire that had long ago sputtered out, he confirmed that Tomoyo was still sleeping. When his eyes laid on Sakura, he wasn't surprised to find her looking at him.

"Do you ever sleep?" he demanded quietly. Sakura shrugged, staying where she was.

"You know I can't," she reasoned. Touya nodded slowly in understanding. As his eyes found their way to Tomoyo once again, his face held no emotion as he observed her sleeping figure. After so much time of traveling alone with his sister it was refreshing and troubling to have another female in their midst. His eyes trailed over her body, which he had often noticed had curves in all the right places, and the young woman's peaceful face. He firmly reminded himself that, no, he was not lusting after the girl. Was she attractive? Of course, but the twenty-three year old man wasn't about to act on it. Yes, she reached womanhood when she turned sixteen, but woman were never offered any type of experience in anything but woman's work until they were eighteen.

Running his fingers through his hair, Touya sighed a he picked up his pack, so as to not draw attention to himself as a traveler in the city. Then without waving goodbye to Sakura, Touya left their campsite, headed for the road that led to the gates of the city. He reminded himself that Tsui itself wasn't nearly as intimidating as it seemed, it was simply the large palace in the background, its estate taking up nearly the entire view anyone in the area had of the horizon. Slouching over slightly with his bag loosely hanging off of his shoulder, Touya regarded the guards with a tired look.

"Who wishes to seek entrance to the mighty city of Tsui?" a guard questioned seriously. There were two of them stationed on either side of the large wooden gate. Touya noted that it would be quite simple to break through, but kept in mind the rest of the barrier consisted of solid stone.

"Jiro," Touya said gruffly, using a heavy accent he heard often in the Borderlands. The other guard smiled boyishly.

"Another one of ya choosing a side, eh?" he asked. Touya was surprised at this new knowledge but said nothing as the young man looked him over. Touya, naturally, always had his feet planted in the ground in a ready fighting stance whenever he stood, which happened to be the case as the young guard studied him. "What is it you did over there?"

"I helped thinkin' of strategies to overtake the capital Tsui, it being so close to the border 'n all. None o' us thought it would be too hard," 'Jiro' explained. The guards stared at him for a moment with their mouths hanging open. Then, as if a light switched on, they both burst out laughing.

"Hey, Yamazaki, this guy's all right," the first guard that spoke stated. Yamazaki grinned.

"I agree," he moved to open the gate. Touya, a little confused, spoke.

"Ya'll don't believe me?" he said in a slow voice, keeping the accent heavy and the look of stupidity he'd adopted clear on his face. Yamazaki raised an eyebrow at him.

"Everyone in these parts knows the origin of the city. Where you been?" he questioned. Touya knew full well why Tsui was located nearly right on the border. This was the hometown of King Tsui, who moved the capital simply because he could. In the past, the land the Lis now controlled was run very similarly to Reed's kingdom. The King or Queen would choose whomever they thought best fit for the throne, whether or not they were related. The only difference really was that the Reed kingdom sought after powerful sorcerers to run the kingdom. But many years had passed since either kingdom worked so similarly. The Lis took over this part of the country nearly one hundred years ago; around the time Clow Reed claimed power. The Lis turned on the traditional setting and formed themselves into a higher monarchy, pushing their beliefs on their people and handing the crown off to the eldest son in line.

"So the rest of the kingdom is safe 'n sound, what with armies only goin' after the royal family," Touya responded. The young man knew for a fact though that this was not the real case, it was in reality just the king's way to show control.

"Smarter than ya look, Jiro," Yamazaki grinned. "Don't get into too much trouble." Touya nodded lazily as the gate was opened, letting him in to the city.

As he walked along the streets, he took in the shacks that acted as houses to the poor that lined the outskirts of the city. Touya didn't look twice at the beggars who held out broken cups and dirty bowls to him, begging for pity and money. The young man moved quickly, using a hazy memory to guide himself to the center of Tsui.

The farther in he walked the more Touya noticed larger houses. Along with that, though, his dark eyes widened slightly with every step he took as he found more and more beggars, the majority being children. Disgusted, Touya ran his fingers through his dark brown hair and took a right turn. He was immediately struck with a crowded street with vendors yelling unimportant information and merchants flinging their merchandise at passerbies. With an odd sense of recollection, Touya's confidence grew as he turned to a street filled with clothing shops and exactly what he was looking for: blacksmiths.

He had never really understood the idea to group so many of the same stores together, competing for business. As Touya continued down the street, he ignored the group of blacksmiths that glared moodily at him as he passed by. Touya wasn't looking for such a loud and risky hideout. He moved smoothly through the crowds of girls and women surrounding the clothing and fabric stores, not paying attention to the swooning looks he received. In no time at all, Touya stood in front of a blacksmith shop he thought looked perfect. The windows were dark, but wiped clean. The door was wide open, welcoming in customers, but not forcing them into business. Grinning slightly, Touya entered the clean shop.

"Hello?" he called in a clear voice. He tone held no accent he was foreign to, just his natural tone. A gruff, scratchy voice replied.

"Yeah, be right there, sonny," a man addressed him from the back of the shop. Touya frowned slightly at the name, but thought nothing of it when he caught sight of the man walking toward him. Deep wrinkles and scars were etched into his face and a long, white beard framed his jaw line. Touya grinned inwardly as he saw the cane the old man was leaning on. "What is it you want, boy?" he asked. Touya held out his hand and the old man shook it firmly.

"I'm looking for some well needed work," Touya explained. The old man raised his eyebrow.

"Why, you look at me and see an old brittle man, incapable of holding out such a business, don't ya?" the old man questioned. Touya gave him a look of surprise, unsure of how to respond.

"Well, I," Touya was cut off by a laugh. The old man's head was thrown back, heaving out gasps of air and sound the resembled a chortle.

"Well, it's true, I am," the old man smiled. "Unfortunately, this old place doesn't get enough business for any of that. So I'm afraid I can't help ya, lad." Touya grinned slightly, thinking of the gypsies coming to town.

"What if I were to tell you I could get some advertisement for you?"

* * *

"Tomoyo," Sakura called out, staring at the sleeping girl. She still hadn't moved from her own sleeping position, causing her to cramp up, but she took no notice. "Tomoyo!" Sakura called out again, this time louder. The girl stirred, her newly cropped hair falling into her face. Frowning, Sakura decided she needn't try any harder, knowing that they still had a few hours until they should go into the city.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura laid on her back and let the air whoosh out. She laced her fingers together and let them rest on her flat stomach. With her hair sprawled around her, Sakura was reminded of the days she had settled down like this, so content, when she was a little girl on a picnic with her mother. Together they would lie on their backs, heads side by side, and look at either the clouds or the stars; whichever one was out when they left the comfort of their home. Often times they would lay on the grass outside their estate for hours, not saying a word. Sakura smiled at this thought, knowing that although they had never said anything aloud, the mother and daughter always had their best conversations that way.

With her mind in such a calm and serene state, Sakura hesitantly undid the latch that kept the pack on her hips closed. Pulling out two large cards, the green eyed brunette held them in front of her face. Before her were the two cards she had made so far in the traveling her and her brother had endured. Walking from their hometown all the way to Tsui took them nearly two months. With the first card she made being locked in the palace of Clow Reed, however, Sakura yearned to go back. Leaving her brother in the dark with the details of her plan of rebellion, however, she knew she couldn't.

The Light and The Dark stared back at her as these thoughts were tumbling through the sorceress' head. Sakura was suddenly very conscious of the pendant that hung around her neck, a gift from one of the role models she looked up to. Holding the cards in one hand, she slowly lifted the pendant into her line of vision. The key was made of a substance she didn't know of and was never able to figure out in the time she had it. As the light of the rising sun caught it, the light was reflected, sending a beam of light to Sakura's right. Turning her head to the side, her eyes laid on Tomoyo, who was still fast asleep.

Sakura knew how brave Tomoyo tried to be. She admired this, but knew that the naïve girl also tried too hard to act as if she knew what was going on. Usually Sakura would have left the girl at the first town she ran in to, knowing that another burden would simply make her life's mission harder. But after the out of body experience she had in the clearing she tried to do her ritual in, she knew Tomoyo was a significant piece of the puzzle she was trying to solve. Sakura felt sorry for the girl she was slowly coming to think of as her friend, although she knew that feeling probably wasn't mutual. After such a tragic incident, she was unknowingly forced to trek the length of the country in a couple of days and—

Sakura's thought process slowed and then stopped. A couple of days? Yes, it only took the trio one day to cross the Borderlands, but the center of the strip of land was the thinnest in the rebellion. Sakura and Touya used to live on the far end of Reed's kingdom, and took as many detours as they could to get to where they are now. Tomoyo came from Misaki, did she not? That was at least two days away from Tomoeda, meaning it was two days farther from the border, where the siblings found the poor girl.

So, the question was clear. How had Tomoyo crossed the entire Reed kingdom in only a day? Sakura sat up slowly, tucking her cards safely back in their container and slipping her pendant under her shirt. She took a few calming breaths, scolding herself for not noticing such an obvious detail earlier. When her nerves were completely under control Sakura stood steadily to her feet without making a sound. Then, resolutely, Sakura took a few long strides to the campfire. Beside the nonexistent fire, Tomoyo slept peacefully, as if everything were right with the world.

Did the girl have magic? No, Sakura and Touya knew that for a fact. Was she an enemy? The immediate answer was no, but there was no proof. Sakura stood directly above Tomoyo, staring at her intensely. Feeling a set of eyes on her, Tomoyo twitched uncomfortably in her sleep. As Sakura stared at the girl, scrutinizing her, Sakura couldn't help the feelings of distrust flooding into her. All friendship she had thought to make with the girl was gone. Would she let Tomoyo know this? No, not at all. After all, the siblings could be sleeping with the enemy.

* * *

Review, damnit.


	5. Chapter 5

"I want you to speak as little as you possibly can, okay?" Sakura said as she threw Tomoyo a bag to carry. Tomoyo barely caught it with her good hand as she gave Sakura confused look.

"But I can speak the language, I don't see why—"

"What story do you think you could use to explain why we're here, Tomoyo?" Sakura questioned, slightly glaring at the younger girl. Tomoyo bit her lip and said nothing, knowing there was no need for a reply. "You sing, right?" Tomoyo held her breath as she scrutinized Sakura. As the shock of the past few days had worn off, Tomoyo found that her wit was returning. But comparing that little fact to Sakura, she still found herself feeling like a little girl and stumbling over her words around Sakura and her brother.

"Yes, but when did I tell you that?" she questioned. Sakura flinched, something that was barely noticed by Tomoyo.

"Last night," Sakura replied, without skipping a beat. Tomoyo nodded slowly, trying to remember.

"Is that what you want me to do, then?" she asked. Sakura nodded as she approached Tomoyo.

"Yes. Do you have any problems with that?" Sakura asked. Her tone was never unkind with Tomoyo, except for the night before when the accusation of thievery was brought up, but Tomoyo always suspected the brunette held her tongue more often than not when speaking with her.

"No, but what will you be doing?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura grinned slightly.

"I'll use your music in a way. Maybe pick some pockets," she answered. Tomoyo frowned in disapproval.

"I thought you weren't a thief," she said. Sakura sighed.

"I said maybe. What happens when we get desperate? We never know if our plans are actually going to work," Sakura pointed out.

"But will you tell me if we must do such a thing?" Tomoyo requested. Sakura started walking to the road, Tomoyo close behind her. Sakura found the request simple and it made sense, Tomoyo was a part of their party; she should know what's going on as long as it involves her. But the thought of sharing any sort of information with a possible enemy made Sakura cringe.

"Of course," Sakura smiled. Whether or not she was lying, however, Sakura wasn't sure about yet.

As they made it to the road and headed for Tsui, they encountered no other travelers. Confused by this, Sakura slowed their pace. In the morning light, Sakura could very clearly see the city less than a mile away, along with the outlines of soldiers guarding the wooden gate. Chewing on her lip, Sakura made a decision and linked arms with Tomoyo.

"What are you doing?" Tomoyo asked, rather loudly. Glaring at her, Sakura held herself back from smacking the girl.

"Two girls, alone on the road, what do you think those guards will think when they see us? They could abandon their post and rape us, or they could find us suspicious if we acted as if we had just met each other," Sakura began pointing out.

Tomoyo frowned. "But we _have_ just met, and we have no reason to be scared, do we? I mean—"

"How dense are you?" Sakura demanded harshly, getting annoyed. "I know common sense isn't frequent among teenage girls, but _I _can hold myself together! So why the hell can't you do the same?" Sakura's outburst shut Tomoyo up and she gripped Sakura's arm tightly. Ignoring her, though, Sakura put a nervous look on her face as they approached the guards. When they were a few feet away, they started to slow down and eventually came to a stop in front of two young, tired looking men staring at them with an interest that showed they hadn't done anything but stand there for awhile.

"Who goes there?" the man on the right asked.

Hesitating for show, Sakura answered, "I'm Jeanne and this is my cousin Aria, sir." Saying so meekly, Sakura looked like a scared rabbit; much to Tomoyo's concealed surprise. The man on the left regarded them interestedly.

"You know, a young man not too much older than the two of you was one of the last to request entry this morning, before this road became a ghost town. He looked a lot like ya," the guard said. Sakura let a smile brighten up her face.

"Is that so? Did he go by the name of Jiro?" Sakura waited for a nod of approval and continued. "Why, that's a relative of ours! We hadn't seen him in years when he sent for us, said he was done with the Borderlands and told us to head on over here for a new life," Sakura was speaking enthusiastically. The guard with darker hair grinned boyishly.

"Pretty smart of him, I'd say. Rumor has it this great kingdom is going to end this rut once and for all. A lot of the citizens on the other end just won't give up saying Reed is still alive and well," he stated. Genuine shock spread across Sakura's face, something Tomoyo noticed.

"Really? They must be pretty loyal down South, with King Reed not showing himself for a few months now," Sakura pondered. The guards nodded and they started opening up the gate.

"Not very smart of them, though," the same guard that previously spoke smiled at the girls as they walked through. The gate closing behind them, Sakura didn't move for a few moments as she became lost in thought. Tomoyo scrutinized her for the time, soon becoming distracted by the amount of poor, dirty people on the street. Thinking Sakura had become momentarily daft, Tomoyo tugged on Sakura's arm to get them moving. Jumping out of her reverie, Sakura nodded as she led Tomoyo toward the center of Tsui. Sakura paid no mind to the beggars Tomoyo couldn't keep her eyes off of.

"We're going to be one of them?" Tomoyo asked wide eyed.

Sakura sighed. "No, we're not." Tomoyo bit her lip and nodded as they approached a merchant on the side of the street. "Excuse me," Sakura grinned cheekily, gaining the merchant's attention.

"Yes, how may I help you lovely young ladies?" the merchant asked. He was rather old with a bald head and a snow white beard, with eyes that seemed rather grandfatherly.

"Do you know where we could exchange some items for money, sir?" Sakura asked in a sweet voice.

"Why, you can do that right here!" the man said enthusiastically. "The name is Kagi, may I ask yours?" he inquired. Sakura smiled and nodded.

"My name is Jeanne, while my cousin's is Aria. Pleased to meet you," Sakura replied.

"And what have you got for me, Jeanne?" Kagi asked politely. Sakura opened her pouch a little and pulled out a ribbon. Kagi's eyes widened approvingly upon first sight.

"Why, don't tell me that's Egyptian cotton!" he exclaimed as he offered his hand. Sakura obediently put the ribbon in his hand and he inspected it. "Yes… yes, there's no doubt. Where did you ladies get this?" he questioned lightly. Sakura bit her lip in embarrassment.

"Well, you see, a rather rich family abandoned their house back in Morris and the whole town was in an uproar. Everyone was pillaging the house… and we being rather poor, we decided we should take what we can to survive off of until we made it here," she was blushing by then while Kagi chuckled warmly.

"Ah, of course, I understand. Tough economy, eh? Well, that'll change when the Reed kingdom is dealt with," Kagi turned around to get into a chest while Sakura scowled venomously at his back. After a few moments, Kagi turned back around with a sack of coins and Sakura's smile was back. "I'd say 600. Do you agree?" Tomoyo was about to retort, saying that was way too much for such a thin strip of cloth, but Sakura beat her to it.

"Wow, that's so much! Are you sure?" Sakura frowned slightly and looked unsure. Kagi shook his head fiercely.

"No, I believe you girls deserve it," he promptly counted out the money in front of them, all in paper form to represent the jewels and riches of the country. As Sakura watched with a fake look of awe on her face, silently counting along with Kagi in her head, a group of three in red and black robes caught her eye. Turning to face them, Sakura frowned. Kagi followed her eye and also frowned, with an unsatisfied grunt.

"The Seers. Haven't seen much of them around here lately, wonder if they're done with whatever mission Queen Yelan, bless her heart, sent them on," Kagi sighed. Shaking his head he finished counting. Taking a moment to catch up, Sakura started.

"Queen Yelan? What about King Tsiro?" she asked. Kagi frowned at her.

"Well, haven't you heard? The King, may he rest in peace, passed away nearly a month ago. The funeral was last week," he explained. Sakura frowned, too, taking this information in. Shaking her head slightly, Sakura slipped the money into her pouch and stood up straight.

"Well, thank you," she smiled. Kagi returned the smile.

"It was no problem at all, dear. What with everyone fighting to get whatever they can now, it might just sell for twice as much as it's worth," he explained. Sakura nodded with another thank you and left the stall with Tomoyo.

"King Tsiro dead? There's no way!" Tomoyo exclaimed as they walked away. "The man was only in his forties and with the doctors and security the royal family has access to, there's no way he could have died so young," Tomoyo went on. Sakura sighed as she led them toward a clothing store.

"You forget that most die in their late thirties," Sakura pointed out.

"Yes, but that's only with the poor," Tomoyo offered. Sakura nodded hesitantly, knowing the possibilities of a king dying from sickness or even an assassination was slim, especially at the peak of his ruling.

As the girls entered the clothing store, Tomoyo's nose immediately crinkled.

"These clothes are not something any self respecting woman should wear," she complained. Sakura regarded Tomoyo with an amused expression.

"Well, we're not self respecting women. We're women looking to earn a living through pleasing others with our talents. And those talents just so happen to require eye catching attire," Sakura grinned as she pulled out a short dress. "Besides, how is showing our legs or our stomachs any different from leaving half of our breasts exposed?" Sakura referred to the fashion of the more wealthy. Tomoyo cringed, having to agree. It was only the high class that really wore floor length dresses on a daily basis. Middle class citizens generally wore shorter dresses to better accommodate themselves when doing chores. Others simply couldn't afford enough fabric to cover much of anything.

"All right, I get it. But I refuse to show my stomach," Tomoyo responded. Sakura sighed and put the dress back.

"Fine. You're not going to be the one dancing, anyway," she pointed out. Tomoyo raised her eyebrows at the brunette.

"You're a dancer? In which styles?" Tomoyo grinned. She would have never guessed.

Sighing, Sakura pulled a deep purple dress for Tomoyo that would hug her breasts but billow out to her mid thighs.

"Ballet, mostly, but I like adding my own style to it," she smiled and handed Tomoyo the dress. "Try this on." Sakura grabbed some dark green clothes off of the same rack and the two made their way to the back of the small store where three small stalls were set up with thin cloth curtains to cut off the rest of the world. Getting in their respective cubicles, the girls donned the clothes and within a few minutes stood in front of each other.

Tomoyo's dress was much too short for her liking, but it fit her perfectly. The short sleeves that were sown in to the dress more for show than anything else weren't exactly needed, though, as her breasts filled out the bodice more than expected.

Sakura had removed her hair tie to let her thick hair flow freely over her shoulders. The dark green sleeveless wrap around made Tomoyo blush as she saw it only covered the girl's breasts. On her hips, Sakura had put on a loose fitting pair of pants that ended in a tight bunch right below her knees.

"How could you wear such a thing?" Tomoyo asked, still red. Sakura grinned.

"I could ask you the same question, missy!" she teased, pointing at Tomoyo's chest. Covering her cleavage with her hands, Tomoyo shook her head.

"I'll be honest, I do like the dress. It will just take some getting used to," Tomoyo admitted with a sigh. Looking Sakura over once again she then added, "And you look extremely cute." Sakura, after a moment of shock, blushed slightly and spun around. Jumping into her stall, she grabbed her trusty pouch and tied it securely around her hips.

"Could you grab the stuff left in the stalls? We'll leave in these after we find some more clothes and shoes and pay," Sakura muttered and walked off. Tomoyo frowned slightly and did as she was told.

After buying an assortment of clothes each of similar fashion to the new clothes they were wearing, Sakura paid for them along with sandals for each of them. Then, while carrying all their things, Sakura led Tomoyo to another clothes store and bought Touya sets of clothes while Sakura continually assured Tomoyo that Touya would be fine with just about whatever they got him. Soon enough, with bundles of clothes and their previous belongings, Sakura led Tomoyo to a street corner opposite a small tavern.

"This is where Touya agreed to meet us," Sakura announced as she set down the packs she was carrying. Tomoyo frowned as she did the same.

"When is it you two plan all of these things? You two always seem to automatically know what the other is thinking whenever we have to talk to another person. How did you know Touya went by the name Jiro when he came here?" Tomoyo asked. She stared at Sakura with a frown on her face. Sighing, Sakura flopped herself down on the dusty ground.

"While you're sleeping, mostly," Sakura answered. Tomoyo stared at her open mouthed. Sakura gave her a lazy smile. "We've also been planning this for nearly two months." Tomoyo nodded slowly. Biting her lip, she debated asking Sakura a certain question as the two watched the sun tilt further toward the horizon as the day wore on.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo asked in a soft voice. The brunette glanced at her to let her know she was listening. "Did you know about me?" Tomoyo watched Sakura carefully as a fleet of emotions she couldn't recognize decorated her tanned face, contrary to Tomoyo's own pale skin.

"Yes, I did," Sakura muttered, so quietly Tomoyo barely heard her over the bustling of the street.

"Why is it we never met?" Tomoyo questioned. Sakura thought for a moment before answering.

"Touya and I had a teacher we would often visit for training," she started. Running her fingers through her hair, she frowned as she saw the split ends that had accumulated through the weeks. "My father didn't like my mother being so alone in the house, with us gone and his own work taking up most of his time. Your mother was my own mother's maid of honor," Sakura let a small smile grace her lips. "There's a picture of the two of them together that's absolutely beautiful. I was told your mother was the one who paid the painter, as a wedding gift. She thought nothing said class like a painting of your own wedding," Sakura looked up at Tomoyo from her seat on the ground. "I apologize, I've drifted down memory lane."

Tomoyo shook her head fiercely. "No! I was never told any of this. Mother was never the conversationalist after father passed away."

Sakura smiled sadly. "Do you remember him?" Tomoyo bit her lip.

"Bits and pieces, I could say. But he never had much time for me," she explained. Sakura nodded.

"What about my mother?"

"Nothing. Perhaps if I thought hard enough, I would be able to conger up a few memories. But I was sent to finishing school when I turned ten. When I returned for summers, my mother dedicated her time to me. After my fourth year, my mother saw fit that I continue my life at home, where I could search for a suitor. I never saw your mother then," Tomoyo ended. Sakura nodded.

"That must have been the time when she got worse. She couldn't travel unless absolutely necessary," Sakura stated quietly. Tomoyo nodded.

"Your training," she said. Sakura stiffened at this. "Was it—"

"You would do well to keep your mouth shut in public," Sakura interrupted. Tomoyo flinched slightly. She had started with a question that might get the girl to open up, but when her real questioning started she closed up again. Tomoyo found it frustrating that she couldn't know for sure what she had seen the night they had found each other.

"I hope that's all," a gruff voice stated, causing Sakura to jump up and move her body in front of Tomoyo's, ready for a fight. She relaxed immediately when she saw Touya next to an old man.

"Jiro," Sakura said simply, with a bit of a question lingering in the air.

Touya nodded. "Jeanne, this is Hashi Momoto. Hashi, this is my sister Jeanne and cousin, Aria." Hashi nodded while the two girls greeted him. Not troubling himself with anymore conversation, Hashi leaned cautiously on his cane while he bent over to grab a knapsack on the ground.

"Best be headin' back," he said simply. Turning he limped off while the others grabbed what they could carry and followed him.

* * *

A loud snoring filled the small house as the trio lounged in their own little room filled with three cots and a basin. Their belongings were piled in the middle of the room, some things spilling out of bags and others remaining untouched. Sakura lay on her side fingering the pouch she kept with her at all times while Touya lay on his back on the other side of the room, resting his eyes yet not asleep. Tomoyo was passed out on her own cot.

"What do you think of him?" Sakura asked softly. Touya made an annoyed groan in the back of his throat.

"I don't know. He seemed more intent on learning more about us than giving me his life story. Honestly, I don't blame him. If he let in a stranger, I would have left," Touya grumbled. Sakura chewed on her bottom lip for a few minutes before continuing.

"How'd you manage the room?"

"I only get half credit for the work. It's cheaper than getting our own place," Touya explained. Sakura nodded, even though her brother's eyes were still sealed closed.

"Touya?" Sakura whispered.

"Just shut the fuck up," he said harshly, barely remembering to whisper. Sakura flinched.

"What happened between us?" she said quietly. After a few minutes, Touya remained silent, so assuming he hadn't heard her, Sakura turned to lay on her other side, facing the wall.

* * *

"_This test will be a competition," Clow Reed announced, his eyes shining with mischief. Sakura let out a squeal of delight while a stone faced Touya stood silently next to her. Clow turned around and started walking out of his office, the siblings close behind him. Sakura never stopped asking questions and never waited for answers, skipping through the halls and down the stairs as Clow led them to the palace gardens. _

"_Sakura, I want you to run!" Clow announced once they arrived. Sakura, too excited to ask why, sprinted away. "Touya will be looking for you! Don't let him find you!" Clow yelled after her. She acknowledged him with a wave of her hand as she slipped between a pair of tall trees. "Now Touya, center yourself," Clow ordered. Touya stood with his feet shoulder width apart and took a deep breath. _

"_Do you feel the trees?" Clow asked Touya in a hushed tone. Touya nodded. "The roses? The grass?" Touya nodded again. "The dirt?" _

_Touya frowned. "But the dirt isn't li—"_

"_But there are living things inside of it," Clow pointed out. Touya suppressed a groan of annoyance before scrunching together his nose and forehead in concentration, producing an amusing sight for Clow to behold. Eventually, Touya nodded. At that, Clow started walking away. Touya, oblivious to this, stood in that position for several minutes._

"_Clow-sama?" he asked. Silence greeted him. "Clow-sama?" Touya opened his eyes. Seeing nothing but trees in front of him, he hastily spun around, searching for his teacher. Spotting him about to enter the palace, he yelled. "Clow-sama!" Clow paused._

"_Why are you just standing there?" his voice was booming, and Touya flinched as he heard and saw the older man's voice clearly, the air laced with a blue-green tinge of what Touya knew was magic. Nodding, though he wasn't quite sure whether or not Clow could see, Touya ran in the direction Sakura scampered off in. _

_Letting the barriers that surrounded his mind disintegrate, the young man felt nothing. Gritting his teeth, he reached out to the very edge of his consciousness. When he was greeted with birds and the slow lifecycle of trees, he growled in disbelief. Changing direction on instinct, Touya narrowed his eyes in search for a pink mist filling the air._

_The sun and scattered trees soon started working together to make long, eerie shadows. Jogging to the edge of the forest that took up the last mile or so of the estate, Touya stopped, panting. _

"_Where on earth could you be?" he muttered to himself. Nearby, a bird on the ground chirped at him in reply. Glaring at it, Touya started to shoo away the distraction. Cocking its head to the right, the bird jumped closer to Touya. Still glaring at it, Touya decided to humor himself._

"_What?" he asked it. Chirping again, the bird bounded a few feet to the left, turned back to cock its head at Touya again, then flew into a tree on the edge of the forest. Observing the tall tree, Touya rolled his eyes. Then, sauntering up to it, he started to climb. Halfway up, Touya stopped, panting. "What a brilliant idea," he grumbled, "climbing a tree after running for hours on end." Looking up to see where the next branch was, he nearly fell back as he let out a shout of surprise. The little bird was perched on the branch right in front of the boy's face, staring at him as if he were insane. Chirping a bit, the bird leapt from branch to branch until it was settled on the highest branch of the tree, staring down at Touya._

"_Of course," Touya glared. Filling his lungs with oxygen, Touya quickly climbed the rest of the way. Breathing deeply, Touya couldn't help but let a short laugh escape his mouth. With a sigh, he nodded at the little bird next to him before looking down at the area below. A little wisp of pink and brown caught his eye quickly, but upon looking the direction from which it came, Touya saw nothing. He frowned as he thought of the times in his hours of searching and running when he would see much of the same thing. But even upon inspection, Touya found nothing._

_Looking farther out into the forest, Touya smiled brightly as he caught sight of little wisps of magic. Assuming his younger sister had gotten tired of their little game and let her aura go, Touya looked for the point where the magic was strongest. Seeing it, Touya grinned in triumph. Glancing at the setting sun beforehand, Touya climbed down the tree so fast he nearly fell. He then sprinted off in the direction of the magic, a bounce in his step._

_By the time he reached the area he was looking for, night surrounded him and he was in dire need of water. He shook the sweat out of his hair, thinking back to the number of times he had to climb another tree, catch of a glimpse of the brown and pink _something_, and go chasing after the magic again. More than once he could have sworn the spot was in a completely different place than the last time he looked, but he kept on telling himself that Sakura simply didn't have the ability to trick him, or anyone else, like that. _

_Grinning, he took in the pink mist that surrounded him with a cocky stride toward the strongest point of it. Soon enough, he reached a small clearing in the trees where the magic was so dense, he could hardly see. He was shocked that people without his ability or magic couldn't even sense the power that came from someone's aura. _

_Sure he finally had Sakura in his clutches, he leapt into the clearing. Expecting to land on the solid ground, he was shocked to find that he was stopped in midair, mid-jump, staring at absolutely nothing but grass and trees._

"_What the hell?" Touya yelled, frustrated and embarrassed. Struggling against the trap, he let out a shout of anger when he found the only thing he could move was his eyes and mouth. A delighted giggle soon caught Touya's attention and he watched, seething, as Sakura jogged into the place she chose for his undoing. _

_Touya growled and bit out, "You little bitch! When the fuck did you learn this?" Sakura's amusement stopped immediately at his insults and she stared at him, openmouthed. Touya glared at her, putting as much of his anger and frustration into it as possible. When he caught sight of her pink dress and the way her honey brown hair was let loose, he growled again. "You were following me this entire time, weren't you?" he demanded. Sakura kept silent as she stared at him, biting her lip. "You—"_

"_Touya! What do you think you're doing?" a loud and demanding voice broke through Touya's anger. "That is absolutely no way to speak to your sister, or anyone for that matter," Clow strode into the small clearing and with a snap of his fingers, Touya found himself falling. When he hit the ground, Clow was immediately above him, glaring. "What do you have to say for yourself?" _

"_Why didn't you tell me she was this far into her training?" Touya yelled. He stood, glaring at Sakura from behind Clow._

"_Perhaps if you paid a bit more attention to her, you would have already been aware of such a thing," Clow said sternly. Touya almost flinched at his tone, but his pride was already hurt too much to demote himself any further. "You're always so focused on yourself." This caught Touya's attention._

"_Excuse me?" Touya said, mustering up as much respect as he could at the moment._

"_Sakura obsesses over you. You're her idol," Clow said. Touya rolled his eyes, already knowing this. "Yet you never acknowledge a thing she does. You have no idea just what she's accomplished over the years." The look Clow gave the young man was almost sad, but Touya refused to believe the man pitied him. "Both of you, come with me," Clow ordered as he walked away. As Sakura walked past Touya, he saw that her face was stained with tears._

* * *

Sakura sat up in her cot, her eyes threatening to cry over her brother once again. Shaking her head, she quietly stood and made her way over to the basin. Already filled with water, Sakura dipped her hands in the cold liquid and splashed it on her face twice. She stayed leaning over the water, little drops of it sliding off of her face, for several minutes before straightening up and looking out the window of their little room, overlooking the street.

* * *

_Clow had led the siblings into a small stone room in the basement of the palace, something Sakura could tell Touya never knew existed. Out of habit, Sakura immediately made her way to the center of the room and was about to sit when she realized what she was doing and stopped. Clow shook his head, though, and told her to sit. _

"_What are we doing here?" Touya questioned. Clow sat on a wooden chair against the wall of the room._

"_Sit in front of Sakura, Touya," Clow ordered. Touya reluctantly did so, Sakura avoiding looking at him. She then knew what Clow was planning on having them do. He wanted Sakura to show Touya her power, so that he would not underestimate her again. _

_Looking at Clow, Sakura bit her lip when he nodded. She then looked Touya in the eye, seeing confusion, anger, and what she hoped was a hint of regret. Taking a deep breath, she let go of every hold she had on her magic, knowing Clow would take control if anything should go amiss. The power flowed out of her so steadily and quickly, Touya's eyes widened and he held his breath. Sakura and Clow being able to only view magic or an aura at will, they saw nothing. Feeling the power pulsing in the room, however, Sakura could imagine what it might look like to Touya, who could not control his eye sight, and was only trained to recognize magic._

_A minute passed and the magic was still flowing. Touya leaned back on his hands, his feet rooted to the floor as he prepared to stand. He could no longer see Clow and Sakura was only an outline in front of him. Nothing but pink surrounded him. He stared behind him and to each side as he tried to find a weak spot. When he looked back to where he thought Sakura was, he thought he saw one but immediately found himself sorely mistaken as a black tint started to spread through the air. Or, rather, what was soon becoming a suffocating pillow. _

_When the black of the aura started to present itself, Touya felt the power falter and sighed with relief. But then a tinge of blue-green, what Touya knew was Clow, made its way to the spot in front of him and the power renewed itself, this time flowing out in black, tingeing the pink atmosphere with was Touya felt was evil. Panicking, Touya stood. His breath left him as he found the air much thicker at his full height. Stumbling backwards, his breath started to come out in small gasps as his mind comprehended the overflow of energy as a suffocating pillow. _

_Touya, feeling terrified, let out a scream._

* * *

Sakura stiffened as she was brought back to reality. Men, along with the occasional woman, dressed in black and red robes filled the streets. A wave of terror flowing through her, Sakura leapt into the shadows. She watched, on edge, as the Seers went from door to door, slowly but surely making their way to the blacksmith whom she was residing with.

Slipping out the door to their room, so as to not wake her roommates, she stealthily made her way through the shadows. Pausing, she cursed herself for leaving her dagger behind, just in case. Catching sight of Hashi, though, she froze. He sat in a sturdy chair in the middle of his shop, an ax and a steaming cup of tea in front of him. When she was sure she hadn't been seen, Sakura slipped behind a partition blocking off the fireplace, thankful that there were no lights to catch her shadow.

Sakura held her breath as Hashi sipped his tea, tapping his ax thoughtfully. Sure that they had run into another psycho, Sakura unconsciously touched her quickly healing wounds and was about to retreat to their room to warn Touya when she saw movement outside the window next to the door. Hashi seemed to see it too, standing and making his way to the door without his cane, ax in hand. Opening the door before anyone could knock he regarded a tall woman with long black hair with distaste.

"Meilin Li, what a pleasant surprise," Hashi said sarcastically. Sakura stood completely still, watching from her place in the shadows. Feeling sick, Sakura flinched when she heard the woman's voice.

"Pleasant?" the woman laughed. "I'm sure you could think of a much better word to describe this meeting." Sakura watched Hashi lean on his ax, studying the woman in front of him.

"Why is it you're leading the search tonight, Li-sama? Surely the leader of your little band of miscreants has better things to do," Hashi pointed out. Sakura waited for the answer, memorizing Meilin's face for the second time in her life.

"We have reason to believe Clow Reed's successor made it past the gates this morning," Meilin stated in a professional voice. Hashi laughed bitterly.

"Clow Reed's successor? Everyone knows one doesn't exist," he argued. Meilin glared at him.

"I've dealt with you often enough to know you know there's much more going on here than the majority of us are allowed to know," Meilin said dangerously.

Hashi snorted. "Are you saying even you're being kept in the dark?" With a growl, Meilin hit Hashi on the side of his head, throwing him to the ground. With a pained grunt, Sakura fought against her instinct to run and help him.

"Just tell me, Hashi, who are the people you brought into your home today?" Meilin demanded harshly. Hashi coughed violently and struggled to support himself on his forearms. Catching his breath, Hashi's eyes swept over the room. Eyes wide, Sakura met his gaze. A hint of acknowledgment and shock registered through Hashi's eyes.

"Just three family members from the Borderlands," Hashi said. "My grandson finally found it in himself to come here, bringing his sister and cousin with him." Sakura held her breath. Meilin stood still, up to her full height, staring at the old man. After a few moments of contemplation, Meilin nodded.

"Very well, old man. But if I find you've lied, you know what the consequences will be," she threatened. With a sweep of her robe, Meilin left, leaving Hashi on the floor. Waiting a few moments to be sure no more Seers would return, Sakura hurried over to Hashi. Shutting the door first, Sakura knelt next to the old man who had possibly just saved her life. Just when she was about to ask if he was okay, he shook his head violently and looked down at his leg. Shocked, Sakura stared at the ax that had dug itself into his leg. Scolding herself for not noticing such an important thing, even with her mortal enemy in the room, Sakura took a few calming breaths.

* * *

_Sakura stood silently and unmoving as she peaked through the door of her brother's room, watching him throw his books and papers through the air. After doing so for a few minutes, letting the panic out of his system, Touya slumped into the chair behind his desk. He breathed deeply with his eyes closed._

_Biting her lip, Sakura was about to enter when a little bird flew through Touya's open window and landed on his desk. Recognizing it, Sakura stayed where she was. _

"_What are you doing here?" Touya asked the bird wearily. The bird cocked its head to the right and chirped before it exploded right there in front of Touya. Sakura stayed where she was, knowing the small explosion couldn't hurt her. Touya let out a shout of surprise and dived underneath the desk. Before Sakura could even blink, two tall figures in red and black robes, their faces shadowed with hoods, appeared in front of Touya's desk._

"_Stop hiding, you coward," one venomous voice ordered. Shaking, but with a hard look on his face, Touya slowly stood. Shock flashed through his eyes as he recognized the uniforms._

"_Seers!" he quickly swung his arm behind himself, grabbing a dagger and holding it at the ready in front of him. The Seer that hadn't spoken walked slowly toward Touya. The young man took an involuntary step back as the Seer closed in. _

"_There's nothing to fear," the first Seer assured Touya. The venomous voice was female, sending shivers down Sakura's spine. As Touya regarded her, the Seer in front of him quickly grabbed his dagger and threw it to the other side of the room. Clenching his teeth, Touya simply stood with his hands clenched into fists at his sides._

"_What do you want?" Touya ordered. The woman slowly pulled back her hood, revealing sleek black hair. Touya's own eyes widened. "Your eyes are red. That means…" The woman smiled cruelly._

"_Do you know what it means to be a Seer, Touya?" she asked. Touya nodded his head. Slowly, the woman made her way to Touya. Standing in front of him, their eyes were level with each other. Touya's quick intake of breath made it to Sakura's ears as she knew her brother saw the woman's beauty. Changing his mind, Touya told the woman 'no.'_

"_Seers are the people in the world who have the abilities you do, Touya," the woman started explaining. "We can see the evil of magic and speak to the spirits who wish to show themselves." She said the word magic as if she were spitting out poison. Touya shook his head slowly._

"_But the only spirits who want to contact the living are evil," he pointed out. The woman laughed delightedly._

"_Of course they're not! Poor, innocent souls like you are only taught such things because of the power those spirits have to offer," the woman said. Touya steadily met her cold gaze once she finished laughing._

"_Then that is magic," Touya said. The woman growled._

"_No, it is not. We use the abilities that everyone acquires after death, by using the dead," she justified. Sakura frowned as Touya seemed to see logic in that statement. _

"_Who are you?" Touya asked._

"_Meilin Li," the woman answered without delay. Touya's eyes widened with shock._

"_Li! Then you are of the royal family!" Touya exclaimed. The other Seer snorted. _

"_Thus the only reason she leads us," it was a male voice._

"_Hold your tongue, Eriol!" Meilin yelled. The man only seemed to regard her amusedly. Calming herself, Meilin returned her attention to Touya. "And soon enough, you will be part of a royal family. Am I right?" Sakura held her breath as Touya hesitated._

"_I… I don't know what you mean. King Reed teaches all—" he was cut off._

"_You know exactly what I mean!" the air around Meilin seemed to flare with a dangerous aura as she yelled. After a moment, Touya nodded._

"_My sister," he said quietly. Meilin smiled._

"_Yes. She's very powerful, isn't she? Having tricked you like that," Meilin stated. Touya looked down quickly, then around, searching for words in everything but the Seers. Soon enough, Touya's eyes landed on the door and he saw Sakura._

"_What do you want?" he asked, his eyes not leaving her. Sakura wasn't sure who he was asking the question. Meilin grinned evilly._

"_We need a new recruit," she offered. "We need you." _

_Touya, surprised, looked Meilin in the eye. "Me?" he asked. She nodded. Looking back to the door, Touya stared at Sakura for a few moments. Meilin, curious, turned around. Eyes widening with momentary shock, Meilin let out a delighted squeal._

"_The heir!" Eriol said, astonished. Meilin, turning around and pretending to ignore Sakura, looked to Touya with an evil glint in her eye._

"_What do you say, Touya?" she asked. After a few moments, Touya answered, his eyes never leaving Sakura._

"_I accept."_

* * *

Biting her lip with worry, Sakura stood. Leaping over Hashi, she ran to her room to retrieve Touya.


End file.
